Assessment of radon awareness and knowledge among undergraduate university students in Asaba, Nigeria.

Radon is an environmental carcinogen, a well-known leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking. Despite its health significance, public awareness and knowledge about radon is limited in many developing nations, including Nigeria. This study therefore assessed the level of radon awareness and knowledge among students of Dennis Osadebay University in Asaba, Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire consisting of 30 items. Out of 942 respondents, only 45.4% had prior awareness of radon, while 54.6% had never heard of it. Widespread misconceptions about radon knowledge were noticed with only 17.3% correctly recognized lung cancer as the major health risk of radon exposure. The findings revealed a generally low levels of radon awareness and knowledge among the students. This highlights a significant gap in environmental health literacy, underscoring the overbearing need for educational interventions, public awareness campaigns, and national radon policy in Nigeria.